Rooney scored a brace in the 5-0 victory against Wigan at the DW Stadium in an emphatic response to the defeat by Burnley.

MANCHESTER United manager Sir Alex Ferguson saluted Wayne Rooney after the Reds striker broke through the 100-goal mark for the club.

Rooney scored a brace in the 5-0 victory against Wigan at the DW Stadium in an emphatic response to the defeat by Burnley.

Michael Owen also got off the mark for United with Dimitar Berbatov and Nani extending their lead - all the goals coming in the second half.

However the day belonged to Rooney with his 100th and 101st goals for United.

He made the breakthrough with a header from Antonio Valencia’s cross and then clipped the ball home after his effort took a slight deflection off Mario Melchiot.

Ferguson said: “It is a great achievement and he is only a young lad.

“Some players have been at the club for many years and not reached that total yet. It will do him a world of good.

“Strikers have to score - that is their mantra. If they are not scoring they think the world is at an end.

“When they are scoring they think they will never finish scoring. But that is what they are.”

Owen goal

Owen replaced Rooney in the 72nd minute and 13 minutes later beat goalkeeper Chris Kirkland with a cool finish to make it 4-0. It was a clever strike by the former Newcastle striker, who arrived in the summer.

But Ferguson was not that surprised. “That is what he needed, he needed a goal,” said the Old Trafford boss.

“It is what he is made of. All his career has been about goals. He is one the best finishers this country has ever had. Today can only help him.

“I was so pleased for him and Dimitar Berbatov. If the strikers keep doing that it gives us a big chance.”

Nani sewed things up with a blistering free-kick in stoppage time and Ferguson was pleased with the way his players reacted to the humbling at Turf Moor, especially in the second half.

He added: “You have got to react to defeat and it is always a challenge. But we got a really good response today.

“When you are making chances and dont take them it is a worry. We made six chances in the first half and did not take any.

“But the important thing is to have the patience to keep playing and keep believing and we did that.”

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